An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most fertile soils, preferring a moisture retentive well-drained loamy soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a sunny position but succeeds in partial shade though it fruits less well in such a situation. The fruit is a good wildlife food source, especially for birds. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A gritty texture. The fruit is harsh and acid, though it improves somewhat when it has been frosted. Quite small, it is 10 - 15mm in diameter.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It usually germinates in late winter. Stored seed requires stratification for 3 months at 1°c and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is received. It might not germinate for 12 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If given a rich compost they usually grow away quickly and can be large enough to plant out in late summer, though consider giving them some protection from the cold in their first winter. Otherwise, keep them in pots in a cold frame and plant them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a frame.

Mixed forests on slopes or by streams in valleys at elevations of 1600 - 3800 metres in Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces.